The UK’s Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced a ban on Israelis attending the Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) in September 2023, following Israel’s plans to launch a major ground assault on Gaza City. The move came amid international condemnation of Israel’s escalation of the war in Gaza, with the planned ground offensive described as ‘wrong’ by some global leaders.

Internal Concerns Over College Reputation

Previously unreported correspondence obtained by Al Jazeera shows that the ban prompted internal discussion at the RCDS about potential harm to its reputation — the college, which prides itself on welcoming students of all backgrounds, sought to clarify its role in the decision. RCDS commandant George Norton. A retired British army officer. Asked a senior military official to ensure the public understood that the college did not make the decision.

In an email shortly after the ban was announced, Norton told Tom Copinger-Symes, a British army lieutenant general, that it would be ‘important’ for Jenny Chapman, the UK’s development minister, to highlight that the college does not invite or select participants in its courses. He emphasized that invitations were a ‘government-to-government matter,’ noting that the media had overlooked this key point.

Norton wrote that the absence of these details in media coverage had created a perception that the RCDS itself was deciding which countries to invite. He requested support in reinforcing this position in the public narrative without suggesting the college was seeking to undermine government policy.

Public Narrative and Reputational Impact

Copinger-Symes responded that he would ‘see what we can do’ and asked a colleague to ‘check that we are able to contribute’ to Chapman’s response. Norton’s request followed a day of internal discussion at the college about the potential reputational impact of the ban, as staff faced a surge of media inquiries and public correspondence.

Deputy commandant Tamara Jennings expressed concern in an email to colleagues about the use of the word ‘ban’ in media coverage, stating it was ‘unhelpful’ both in terms of attributing the decision to the college and in the term itself. She emphasized that the RCDS aimed to engage with diverse groups, including those with whom it may not always agree on specific issues.

The emails were obtained by Al Jazeera via a Freedom of Information request. In her response to questions about the ban in the House of Lords, Chapman explained the government’s rationale but did not explicitly state that the college had no role in selecting participants for its courses, according to the House of Lords Hansard.

Government Policy and Ongoing Review

An MOD spokesperson told Al Jazeera that decisions about military education and training are made on a ‘case-by-case basis’ and following ‘effective assessment as to the benefits and the risks.’ The spokesperson added that foreign attendance on UK military education courses is under constant review.

The RCDS did not respond to a request for comment. While the UK is traditionally a close ally of Israel, the countries’ ties have been strained by Israel’s war on Gaza. According to Gaza’s health authorities, more than 72,000 Palestinians—mostly women and children—have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its ground offensive following the Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023.

These figures have been accepted by Israeli authorities as correct, though many thousands more are missing and believed to be dead and lying under the rubble. Fewer than five Israeli military personnel are currently enrolled in military-related academic courses in the UK, according to British government officials.